The present invention relates to a wind blocker arrangement for a convertible passenger motor vehicle.
When a convertible vehicle is driven with the top down (the roof open), the air displaced upwards over the windscreen and flowing over the passenger space causes a negative pressure in the passenger space. With raised side window panes, this mainly leads to air flowing in from the rear, which leads to uncomfortable draft occurrences in the neck, nape and head region, and to strong hair swirls. These backflows can be reduced considerably by a wind blocker, which extends in the passenger space behind the occupants in a transverse vehicle plane.
German patent document DE 43 15 139 C2 discloses a wind blocker arrangement which has two roller devices, which respectively have a shaft and a material web which can be rolled onto the shaft. A bow is additionally provided for each roller device, to which the material web is fastened and with which the material web can be unwound from the shaft. Furthermore, two lateral arms are provided for each roller device, which arms are arranged in the region of lateral edges of the material web when the material web is extended, and which are pivotable transversely to the rotational axis of the shaft.
With the known wind blocker arrangement, the side arms overlap the bow in the rolled-up state of the material web, which can be unwound from the shaft by pulling at the bow. The arms are at the same time displaced laterally thereby, and the bow ends glide off along the arms. The free ends of the arms abut the bow ends in the extended end position of the material web. This known wind blocker arrangement is accommodated in a container, which can be mounted to the vehicle. When the wind blocker is not needed, (for example when driving with a closed roof), the known wind blocker arrangement forms a disturbing contour in that the container extends transversely in the vehicle interior, even when the material webs are rolled up.
German patent document DE 44 05 707 C2 discloses a further wind blocker arrangement, where a material web can be raised with the help of at least one gas bag, to which the material web is fastened. The respective gas bag thereby forms at least a part of a lateral limitation of the material web. The flow forces occurring during the drive operation are however comparatively large, while the material web positioned with only the at least one gas bag forms a comparatively unstable wind blocker.
German patent document DE 197 08 156 C2 discloses a further wind blocker arrangement, where a material web can be deployed in a fan-like manner.
A further wind blocker arrangement can be seen in German patent document DE 41 19 529 A1, where the material web is mounted on extendable rollover safety bars, in such a manner that the material web is tensioned by the extension of the rollover safety bars and thereby activates the wind blocker automatically. Extended rollover safety bars are however not often desired during the drive operation due to aesthetic aspects.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved embodiment of a wind blocker arrangement such as mentioned at the outset, which simplifies the activation and deactivation of the wind blocker and/or eases or improves the integration of the wind blocker arrangement into the vehicle.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the wind blocker arrangement according to the invention, in which the lateral arms are drive-coupled to the bow in such a manner that the bow is driven to extend or wind up the material web by pivoting the arms. This design has several advantages. The drive-coupling of the bow to both arms leads to a closed carrier frame for the material web, which is supported in itself, which increases the stability of this frame and thus of the activated wind blocker. This design enables a simplified activation of the wind blocker at the same time. For example, at least one of the arms can be spring-loaded in its pivoting open direction, or can be driven with the help of a corresponding servo drive. An automatic extension of the wind blocker can for example be realized hereby.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the respective arm can be coupled to the frame drive via a coupling lever. Said coupling lever is then mounted in a pivotal manner on the respective arm on the one hand and on the bow on the other hand respectively transversely to the rotational axis of the shaft. The arms can pivot below the bow during lowering or retracting of the wind blocker by means of this design, the bow extending over the entire width of the material web. At the same time, the use of such a coupling lever enables a reliable forced coupling between the arm and the bow, which can be realized in a comparatively cost-effective manner.
According to a preferred embodiment, the wind blocker arrangement can have a servo drive for driving the arms. The activation and deactivation of the wind blocker can thereby be additionally simplified. A control can be provided in particular, which is designed in such a manner that it accesses the servo drive for pivoting the arms in or out, that is for deactivating or activating the wind blocker in dependence on a vehicle speed. When a predetermined limit speed is exceeded, for example 30 km/h, the control effects an automatic activation of the wind blocker, while it automatically deactivates the wind blocker when the limit speed is fallen below.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.